Family Based Immigration Visas

Family-based immigration allows a foreign national to become a lawful permanent resident through a relative who is a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States. Family members of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents of the United States may obtain legal permanent residence in the United States.

Filing for permanent residency also allows one to obtain an employment authorization document, commonly referred to as a “work permit,” which authorizes lawful employment in the United States.

Our family immigration lawyers handle various family immigration cases that include:

• Marriage to a U.S. Citizen
• Sponsorship of family members
• Fiancées
• Becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen
• Violence Against Women’s Act
• Consular processing
• Widows

Immigrate to the United States for Family Unity

Certain foreign nationals are allowed to permanently immigrate to the United States for the purpose of family unity. The relationships that can serve as sponsors for family based immigration petitions are as follows:

Immediate Relatives: Spouse, mother, father and children under twenty-one years of age of a United States Citizen.

Family First Preference: Unmarried sons and daughters (over 21 years of age) of a United States Citizen.

Family Second Preference: Spouse and unmarried sons and daughters under 21 years of age of lawful permanent residents (green card holders) are classified as Family 2A, unmarried sons and daughters over 21 years of age are classified under Family 2B.

Family Third Preference: Married sons and daughters (over 21 years of age) of United States Citizens.

Family Fourth Preference: Brothers and sisters of United States Citizens.

Visas, Petitions, Work Permits, Green Cards, U.S. Passports

Most family-based visa petitions are initiated when the sponsoring relative files an immigrant visa petition, also known as a Form I-130, with the appropriate Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Service Center or U.S. Consulate abroad. The date of receipt of this petition by USCIS establishes the “priority date,” or place in line for an immigrant visa.

Processing times for these petitions vary from several months or much longer depending on visa availability. When a petition is approved, and the “priority date” becomes current (i.e. after any applicable waiting line has passed), the sponsored individual may apply for an immigrant visa or, where eligible, apply for adjustment of status to obtain lawful permanent residence in the United States.

An immigrant visa permits the individual to become a legal permanent resident (“green card” holder) after admission to the United States with the immigrant visa. Additionally, an individual must otherwise be eligible to obtain lawful permanent resident status in the United States or be eligible for a waiver of inadmissibility. An individual’s admissibility will be thoroughly assessed before a visa petition is filed by the experienced Immigration Attorneys at Brandt Immigration.

Family Immigration Attorneys

If you have family members that would like to immigrate to the United States, contact Brandt Immigration today.

free initial consultations at our Orlando office

NAME

EMAIL

PHONE

MESSAGE

15 + 2 =

Brandt Immigration

The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.